Electoral Gifts
What is a Gift?
Part 5A of the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997 defines a gift in relation to local government elections to mean a disposition of property, or the conferral of any financial benefit, made by one person in favour of another. A gift can include a gift of money, a gift which is non-monetary but of value, a gift in kind, the payment of an inadequate financial consideration or the receipt of a discount (where the difference or discount is more than $300 worth), financial or other contribution to travel, the provision of a service for no consideration or for inadequate consideration, and a firm promise or agreement to give a gift at some future time.
Disclosures
Candidates in local government elections must disclose to the Town's Chief Executive Officer, gifts valued at $300 or more, received or promised, during the disclosure period. Gifts, received or promised, valued at less than $300 must also be disclosed if the gift is one of two or more gifts received from the same person, the cumulative value of which is $300 or more.
The Town's Chief Executive Officer is required to publish an up-to-date Electoral Gift Register on the Town's website. Disclosures are kept on the register for four years from the relevant election day.
Disclosure Period
The disclosure period during which electoral gifts, received or promised, must be disclosed, commences six months before election day. The end date of the disclosure period will depend on whether a candidate is successfully elected or not.
How to make disclosures
All disclosures are to be made on a Form 9A Disclosure of Gifts Form and delivered to the Town of Cottesloe Chief Executive Officer. Completed forms must be delivered within three days of receipt or promise of the gift, once candidate nominations are made to the Returning Officer.
Completed forms can be emailed to town@cottesloe.wa.gov.au or hand delivered to the Town's Administration Centre at 109 Broome Street, Cottesloe.
Useful Links and Forms
Form 9A Disclosure of Gifts Form
Department of Local Government Industry Regulation and Safety
Electoral Gift Register
In accordance with regulation 30G the Town must keep a register of all electoral gift disclosures received and publish the register on the website.